Miller Prayer letter 3 March 2014

Dear Prayer Partner,

Thanks for your prayers.  I can't believe it has been 2 months since our last prayer letter.  Time flies by and really gets away from us.

Lots of things have happened since then but there are a couple of very exciting things that have happened and have been keeping us busy.

Transferring to the Philippines:

We have accepted a call to go to the Philippines, where we will serve until our retirement.  Pray for us as we prepare to ship our crate to the USA, where we will make our retirement home, and as we say good-bye to our friends and Solomon Island family.  We have purchased our tickets and are scheduled to depart Honiara on May 27.

You may be wondering how this change came about and why it is so near to our retirement.  Let me first assure you we believe this is from the Lord.  I (George) have felt for a couple years now a restlessness in my spirit.  I even considered an early retirement at the time of our previous home assignment, but when praying I did not have peace about that.  Then the Lord worked in our life confirming to us that we were to return.  For a few years now we have been releasing some of our leadership activities into the capable hands of local leaders.  I began to question whether our very presence was interfering with the church growth, as many still depended on me as District Superintendent.  Some people would bypass the elected leader to take their problem to me.  I would refer them back to the correct person, but just the fact that this was happening got me to thinking that for the SI church to stand on their own two feet, we should go elsewhere.

It was during this time when Harmon and Cindy Schmelzenbach (Our field Strategy Coordinator and wife) came to the Solomon Islands.  They conveyed to us that the regional and field leadership felt the same way, and there was a position opened on the Philippine field that fit us and so when they proposed it to us, we felt peace and knew this was right.  That meeting took place in mid-January, but we couldn't share it until February 15.  We were excited but at the same time were getting ready for Bible College classes and a visiting lecturer here in the Solomons.  I have been busy and am just now writing this letter to all our prayer partners.

So what will we be doing?  I (George) will be chaplain at the Philippine Nazarene College [formerly Luzon Nazarene Bible College] in Baguio, Philippines.  We will also teach English (Nancy) and Bible Classes.  Prayers are requested as we settle into another culture.  This assignment will be for 3 school semesters until our final HA (October, 2015) before retirement (Oct 2016).

Our new physical address:

George Miller

Philippine Nazarene College

Pico Road, La Trinidad

Benguet, 2601 Philippines.

Note: email address will remain the same.

I don't know how long it takes for mail to reach the Philippines, but don't send anything to the Solomons after April 1st.

 

Visiting Lecturer - Dr. Herb Ireland

This story is powerful because it demonstrates the providence of this Almighty God we serve.  One of my prayer partners Herb Ireland, felt called to come and help us.  It was a year or more ago when he wrote me inquiring about this possibility.  I told him that we retire in 2015 and would like for him to come prior to our departure.  I then sent him the dates of our scheduled classes and he selected this time.  I told him we could accommodate him and change the course to fit whatever he liked to teach.  He said that the two courses, "Doctrine of Holiness" and "New Testament Survey", we had scheduled would be fine.  When he arrived he talked about how his wife was raised in the Philippines.  He then told us Carolyn was raised at the Bible College in Baguio where her father was President.  The day after he arrived (5th March) is the day we found out for sure that we were going to transfer to the Philippines.  Waiting for that ten days until the 15th so we could share the news seemed like an eternity.  The first people I shared the news with was the Solomon Islands District Council that met 15th.  Then we called our family.  So by now many of you have already heard the news through Face Book, etc. and I apologize for this being old news. 

Herb's being here with his connections to the Philippines and Baguio was providential.  The Lord sent him at this time to help us and the district during this transition time.

Bible College Classes.

Thank you for your prayers for the following Bible College block classes that finished on February 28.  

1. Theology 3, which includes the Theology of the Holy Spirit, the Church, and Eschatology.

This was a 1-week intensive class that I taught from 5-11 February.  With all the excitement and things going on with our relocation and Harmon's visit, I certainly did not feel prepared for this class.  One of the highlights of this class was when we had a new student named Sammy.  He was saved during the first day of this class.  His decision to attend this class was like his intent desire to be close to God.  He has now been in 3-weeks of Bible College classes and it is exciting seeing him grow in the Lord.  He has a lot of potential and I envision him as one of our church leaders in the future.  Pray for Sammy.

2. New Testament Studies Class:

This has been an exciting class.  In the Solomon Islands it seems to be difficult for one to apologize and confess his/her sins and faults.  Rarely is there any confession to one another unless they have been found out and confronted.  Herb was the teacher and during this class they dealt with some major issues that have been hidden for years.  With more openness and honesty our church in the Solomon Islands will not only progress but will really grow in the Lord.  

3. Doctrine of Holiness Class:

Many of our students took all three courses.  This class was the largest class.  We welcomed visitors to this class because we want to develop Christ-like disciples and it is essential that we become a holy people.  Herb presented the lessons in such a simple and straightforward way that they understood the message of holiness, and for some it made sense for the first time in their life.  During this class four students responded to be entirely sanctified.  We're praising the Lord for the way our students grew spiritually during this class.  The students will return home as transformed individuals.  Pray that they will be able to impact their local church for Jesus when they return.

Graduation:

Saturday March 1st we held our Bible College graduation and had two students Graduate with a Certificate in Ministry from our Solomon Island Campus of the SPNTC (South Pacific Nazarene Theological College).  This was the 4th graduation of the SPNTC-SI and brings the total number of Solomon Islands graduates to 11.  Kendrick, one of the graduates, is the pastor of our Hickory Grove church in Barakoma on Vella la Vella Island.  Gibson, the other graduate, is the pastor of our Sovereign Grace church in Munda on New Georgia Island.  These are the first two graduates who are pastor of churches in the Western Province.

Pray for the SI Nazarenes and their development:

Harmon Schmelzenbach is visiting March 10 & 11 to discuss with the district leadership.  Pray for his visit along with Jeff Myers, the Field Church Development Coordinator, who will arrive in SI on March 9.

George Miller
PO Box 712
Honiara, Solomon Islands